6 causes I’m not switching from iPhone anytime quickly

I’ve been an iPhone consumer for a very long time — not like authentic iPhone very long time, however nonetheless. My first smartphone was an iPhone 4S. I used to be in center college, so think about how excited I used to be to attempt Siri. Laughably, being a Canadian, I didn’t understand the characteristic was unique to the U.S. on the time. Think about my disappointment holding down the house button just for Siri to say, “Sorry, this characteristic isn’t but obtainable in your area.” Thanks, Tim.

Since my iPhone 4S, I’ve had each flagship iPhone: iPhone 5, 5S, 6, 6 Plus (don’t ask me why I purchased an even bigger cellphone three months later), 7 Plus, X (it’s pronounced ten, don’t @ me), XS Max, 11 Professional Max, 12 Professional Max, 13 Professional (sure, I went again down a dimension), 14 Professional, and now I’m at present utilizing the 15 Professional. To me, proudly owning the most recent iPhone is a luxurious, however one I plan and price range for yearly. I sometimes give my present cellphone to my mom after which promote, trade-in, or maintain her present cellphone as a take a look at machine so nothing will get wasted.

Sure, I’m an Apple fan, sheep, or no matter you wish to name me. I get pleasure from utilizing the corporate’s merchandise and am lucky to have made a profession out of that keenness. Nonetheless, any of my previous writing additionally exhibits that I’ve no drawback criticizing the corporate the place it’s due (I am you App Retailer adverts). This piece isn’t a gross sales pitch to “persuade” you to modify from Android or improve to a more recent iPhone. I envy my girlfriend’s Google Pixel and its fancy ‘Use Hold for Me’ characteristic, and I’m curious to attempt a privacy-focused model of Android like GrapheneOS.

As a substitute, I’m simply trying to share 5 the reason why I proceed to like not simply my iPhone however the complete Apple ecosystem and why I don’t see myself going wherever quickly.

iCloud and Continuity

The Apple ecosystem comfort

iCloud and Continuity are good examples of how Apple’s ecosystem is incomparable to anything available on the market. Some name it a walled backyard; I take into account it a comfort. With iCloud, all my notes, reminders, calendars, and a lot extra are near-seamlessly synced amongst my different Apple gadgets. iCloud Drive is my specific favourite characteristic because it lets me begin an article on my iPhone when an concept hits, flesh it out on my iPad Pro, the place I can focus, and end it on my Mac, the place publishing is less complicated.

Equally, Continuity makes copy and pasting magical, enabling me to repeat one thing on my iPhone and pasting it on my Mac or another mixture of my gadgets. AirDrop is one other worthwhile characteristic that hastens the sharing of recordsdata between my gadgets. Sure, there are some options available on the market that try and mimic these options with Home windows and Android, however they don’t seem to be practically as seamless as iCloud and Continuity. I’m significantly enthusiastic about iPhone display mirroring coming in iOS 18 and macOS 15 as a privacy-friendly solution to wirelessly entry my iPhone.

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Apple Shops

There are over 500 of them globally

I’ve develop into much less enchanted with the Apple Retailer expertise recently. A lot in order that I hope to write down a bit about it. Nonetheless, as a former Apple Retailer worker, I discover it tough to not stroll into one and really feel the vitality within the air. I’ll be the primary to confess you may have Apple Retailer PTSD whenever you instinctually start to face merchandise upon strolling in. However, Apple’s 500+ Apple Shops, together with its hundreds of reseller and restore companions, create an unmatched community for straightforward purchases and repairs.

A number of months in the past, I went on trip to Montreal. Figuring out that we have been going to an space with an Apple Retailer, I made a decision to get my iPhone’s cracked rear glass repaired whereas we had lunch. So, like Apple Retailer goer, I booked an appointment upfront. There’s one thing to be mentioned about reserving an appointment by way of an app and getting a restore carried out in below two hours — all whereas the restore is tracked and I can leverage my AppleCare+.

Equally, the purchasing expertise at an Apple Retailer, whereas not what it as soon as was, nonetheless makes for a wonderful place to get knowledgeable recommendation and decide up on-line orders. Sure, getting a employees member and determining the place to pay is complicated, however Apple staff are a number of the most educated salespeople you’ll meet in a shopper electronics retailer.

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AppleCare+

It’s all about categorical alternative

To some, AppleCare+ is a rip-off. To others, it’s a required a part of the Apple shopping for expertise. I don’t purchase AppleCare+ on every thing. I’ll take my possibilities with my Apple TVs and HomePods. Nonetheless, my costly major gadgets, like my iPad Professional, iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, and shortly Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, all get it mainly by default. The choice on whether or not to get AppleCare+ or any prolonged guarantee actually is your danger tolerance. Nonetheless, one characteristic that drives me to AppleCare+ along with the sponsored restore prices is categorical alternative.

Specific alternative is the place Apple sends you a alternative machine earlier than you come back your faulty one. To do that, an individual has to name Apple Help, request one, and put a maintain on a bank card for the price of not returning the alternative machine. In any other case, there’s no further price for this service. What makes categorical alternative categorical is how alternative gadgets present up inside 1-2 enterprise days, hopefully minimizing your downtime. My nearest Apple Retailer is an hour away and doesn’t at all times have a alternative mobile iPad or right iPhone half in inventory. Specific replacements make for a handy solution to get replacements for faulty and broken gadgets.

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Videography

iPhones are the most effective

It’s onerous for me to place into phrases as a result of I’m not knowledgeable videographer, however iPhones are simply nice at videography. Whereas there are countless arguments about which machine takes a greater picture, I imagine there’s little competitors concerning video seize. A mixture of {hardware} and software program permits iPhones to be industry-leading gadgets for video seize. Apple has a whole bunch of engineers engaged on the digicam alone, and the oldsters engaged on video are doing a top-notch job. It is the simplicity of simply having the ability to decide up your iPhone and file nice movies with no need to make any fiddly adjustments that has given the machine such an amazing fame for videography. Sure, there are many third-party apps obtainable on the App Store for individuals who need that degree of management — and that is implausible. Nonetheless, for many of its customers, Apple has hit the correct notice for wonderful video. No further configuration required.

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Privateness

What occurs in your iPhone stays in your iPhone

Privateness and safety are areas the place Apple makes an attempt to distinguish itself from Android and Windows. Android and Home windows aren’t insecure working techniques, however the nature of iOS, a privacy-focused, closed-source OS with out app side-loading, has helped propel the iPhone’s picture. In comparison with Home windows, iPhones haven’t any adverts, and in contrast to Android, Apple does its finest to restrict knowledge assortment and course of duties on-device relatively than within the cloud. iPhones are good; they nonetheless accumulate knowledge, however this self-imposed restricted method is likely one of the causes Siri isn’t nearly as good as Google Assistant, but it’s way more reliable.

Permission prompts and site sharing are different examples of this. Most location apps are sketchy, both charging cash or promoting consumer knowledge. Typically each. In the meantime, Apple has Discover My, a method for family and friends to share their location with out Apple ever seeing that knowledge. Even whereas privateness permission prompts will be annoying, they supply a worthwhile gatekeeping service from malicious apps getting an individual’s knowledge. Apple additionally has Superior Information Safety to use end-to-end encryption onto your iCloud knowledge, one thing that, so far as I do know, Google doesn’t supply, that means all of an individual’s recordsdata will be considered by the search large. These are only a few methods iPhones function extra privacy-preserving options to Android gadgets.

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Design

Apple continues to be the design king

Pocket-lint

Say what you need about Apple, but when one factor stays true, the corporate can design good merchandise. I am not simply speaking in regards to the {hardware} however the software program, too. Companies are a little bit iffy, I will admit. However every thing, from the unboxing expertise to the machine’s supplies to iOS to the apps operating, the expertise is unparalleled. Rivals like Google and Samsung proceed to attempt to mimic Apple’s design language. I can not blame them for doing so. But, even with wonderful {hardware}, Samsung’s model of Android is bloated. Or with Google’s clear set up of Android, there are nonetheless worse high quality apps. Apple is not good. I will be the primary to confess it. Nonetheless, regardless of the departure of Johnny Ive, the corporate’s design workforce continues to be a guiding gentle, an ethos, for high-quality design. I will by no means recover from the premium really feel my iPhone has in my hand.

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